Sliding closure for a pressurized beverage container



Jan. 16, 1968 P. M. GARA NGIOTIS 3,363,798

SLIDING CLOSURE FOR A PRESSURIZED BEVERAGE CONTAINER Filed Oct. 11, 1965 INVENTOR.

PANAGIOTIS M. GARANGIOTIS ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofilice 3,363,798 Patented Jan. 16, 1968 3,363,798 SLllDING CLOSURE FOR A PRESSURIZED BEVERAGE CONTAlNER Panagiotis M. Garangiotis, 142 Race St, Apt. 4, San Jose, Calif. 95126 Filed Get. 11, 1965, Ser. No. 494,528 1 Claim. (Cl. 220-41) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE The present invention relates to beverage containers and in particular to a closure means therefor.

It is well known that carbonated and alcoholic beverages deteriorate rapidly once they have been opened and numerous closures have been devised for recapping bottled beverages. At the present time, the trend appears to be to package soft drinks and alcoholic beverages in cylindrical fiat-topped cans. So far as is known to applicant, there are no closures specifically made for cans to enable reclosure and preserve the contents once the can has been initially opened. Accordingly, a first object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel closure for beverage cans to prevent loss of carbonation in soft drink beverages and loss of flavor in alcoholic beverages.

Another object of the present invention is to be able to reclose beverage cans so as to exclude airborne foreign matter from entering beverage cans which have been initially opened.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a closure for beverage cans which will prevent accidental spilling of their contents.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a container which may be easily opened without the use of an opening tool and which may be readily re-closed after the initial opening thereof.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which of the foregoing will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claim.

With reference to said drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a container having a closure embodying the features of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 and illustrating a portion of the closure in an open position.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURES l and 2 illustrating another portion of the closure member in the open position.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional side view of the device taken substantially along the lines 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional side view of the device taken substantially along the line 5--5 of FIGURE 4.

The can closure of the present invention is designed for an open end of a receptacle and consists briefly of a closure member 6 received by the open end of the receptacle 7 and being provided with an aperture 8; a second closure member 9 covering the first closure member and being provided with a removable portion 11 spaced from and disposed to register with the aperture; a slide member 12 disposed between the closure members for reciprocation into and out of covering registration with the aperture; and means guiding the slide member into registration with the aperture.

Reference '7 designates a receptacle body of standard construction insofar as the cylindrical portion is concerned, and although generally made of a suitable metal, the receptacle and associated parts may be made of other suitable material such as plastic or the like.

First closure member 6 is substantially a fiat circular member having its edges shaped to form a standard double seam with the side edges of the container.

The second closure member 9 is scored along parallel chords extending substantially across the entire diameter of the second closuremember. The second closure memher is made of a tearable material such as aluminum or tin coated steel. One end 16 and the two chords 17 and 18 are deeply scored so that the metal strip 11 will pull away from the closure member upon opening. The other end 19 is preferably more lightly scored so that upon opening of the strip 11 it wiil be hingedly mounted thereon so that it can be reclosed if desired. In order to easily tear strip 11 from the can, a finger engageable tab 21 is affixed to the strip 11 as by welding or riveting. Preferably the tab is made of a malleable material so that it can fit closely to the side of the can when packaged and distributed and then can be easily pulled away from the side of the can with the fingers in order to more firmly grasp the tab for tearing back the strip 11. Furthermore the malleable tab, can be used to latch strip 11 in its initial position if a person desires to reclose the can.

The closure member 9 is joined to the edges of the container by a double seam and forms an air tight seal therewith.

Slide member 12 is here shown as a generally rectangular substantially flat surfaced member dimensioned to cover aperture 8 in one position. It is dimensioned so that it may be slidably moved to the other side of the can as shown in FIGURE 3 so as to uncover aperture 8. The slide is formed with a raised portion or dimple 23 so that it can be more easily engaged by a finger for sliding movement.

Several means may be used for guiding the slide member into and out of registration with the aperture 8, but I have found that a most suitable and economical way of accomplishing this is to form the second closure member with a raised olfset portion 2.6 forming sides 27 and 28 for receiving sides 30 and 31 of slide 12. Portions 36 and 37 are raised above the first closure member a distance sutficient to permit a sliding clearance for the sliding member M.

In order to retain the gas of carbonated beverages after the tearable strip 11 has been removed, either the under side of sliding member 1?. or a portion of the surface 39 bordering the aperture 8 is coated with. a resilient material such as a polyethylene resin. By dimensioning the thickness of the sliding strip and the clearance of the portion 36 and 37, an airtight seal can be formed at the surface surrounding the aperture 8. The interference fit formed therebetween not only seals the gap in the container but also prevents inadvertant sliding movement of the member 12 when the container is tipped.

As may be seen in FIGURES 2t, 3 and 4, end 16 in the second closure member is spaced from the side wall 46 of the container. This construction permits end 4-7 of the slide to move underneath an overlapping area and by carefully dimensioning a space between the first and second closure, additional locking of the slide member may be obtained by an interference fit therebetween.

In order to permit passage of the raised portion 23 of the slide member, the tearable strip 11 is formed in an arcuate shape.

I claim:

1. A closure for an open end of a receptacle, comprising:

a first closure member received by said open end of the receptacle and being provided With an aperture;

a second closure member covering said first closure member and being scored to provide a removable portion hingeable about a pivotal axis to provide reclosure of said removable portion and spaced from and disposed to register with said aperture;

said second closure is provided with a finger engageable tab for facilitating removal of said removable portion, said tab being formed of a malleable material for releasably latching with said end of said receptacle;

a slide member disposed between said closure members for reciprocation into and out of covering registration with said aperture; and

means guiding said slide member into registration with said aperture.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 2,162,999 6/1939 Frank 222 5s1 2,582,360 1/1952 Sheridan 220-4l DONALD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner.

15 THERON E. CONDON, Examiner.

G. T. HALL, Assistant Examiner. 

